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Milestone season for Senators

by
Rob Brodie
/ Ottawa Senators

Landmark goals, assists and points. Significant standards reached in years of service.

It was a season of many milestones, indeed, for the Ottawa Senators.

No less than 19 team members, in fact, achieved a notable number of some sort during the 2007-08 season. For a handful of Senators, there were several moments to remember in the campaign just concluded.

Captain Daniel Alfredsson, the longest-serving Senator, had a record-breaking night on Jan. 24, when he racked up seven points in Ottawa’s 8-4 road victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Included in that outburst was Alfredsson’s 500th career assist.

But that was merely the capper on a season that also included the captain’s 300th career goal (Nov. 1 vs. Atlanta), 800th game (Nov. 15 vs. Buffalo) and 800th point (Dec. 13 at Pittsburgh).The numbers also kept accumulating for Alfredsson’s linemates. Centre Jason Spezza notched his 300th career point in a 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Dec. 27, then later added his 200th assist (Dec. 15 vs. Atlanta), 100th goal (Jan. 24 at Tampa), played in his 300th game (Feb. 19 vs. Philadelphia) and collected his 200th penalty minute (Feb. 28 at Philly).

Dany Heatley, meanwhile, got started on the milestones right in the first month of the season. He notched his 400th career point in a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 18, then collected his 300th penalty minute two nights later against the Florida Panthers. Before the season was done, Heatley also recorded his 200th goal (Dec. 15 vs. Atlanta) and played in his 400th game (Feb. 12 vs. Buffalo).

Another longtime Senator, defenceman Wade Redden, also enjoyed a few landmark moments of his own. Redden scored his 100th career goal in Ottawa’s 5-3 victory over the Sabres on Boxing Day, then later played in his 800th game (Jan. 10 vs. Buffalo) and racked up his 400th point (Jan. 21 at Philadelphia) and 300th assist (Jan. 24 at Tampa).

On the longevity front, veteran defenceman Luke Richardson enjoyed the biggest moment for the team, playing in his 1,400th career game on Feb. 25 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Forward Shean Donovan, meanwhile, suited up for 800th National Hockey League game on Dec. 4 in Tampa.

Rugged forward Chris Neil extended his all-time franchise mark for penalty minutes by hitting the 1,000-minute mark Nov. 6 vs. Toronto, then boosting it to 1,100 – again vs. the Maple Leafs – on March 22. He finished the season at 1,152.

Goaltender Martin Gerber picked up his 100th career win April 3 in Toronto, an 8-2 rout that turned out to be the Senators’ last victory of the season.